1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an absorbing body which absorbs a solvent component from an object liquid containing a coloring material component and the solvent component.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, inkjet recording apparatuses (inkjet printers) have become widespread as image forming apparatuses for printing images. An inkjet recording apparatus prints a desired image by ejecting ink droplets from an inkjet recording head, onto a recording medium, such as a sheet of recording paper, while the recording medium and the inkjet recording head are moved relatively with respect to each other. From the viewpoint of preventing bleeding, and the like, in an inkjet recording apparatus of this kind, it is desirable that the ink droplets deposited on the recording medium be dried quickly, so that the image is fixed rapidly on the recording medium. Furthermore, if all of the ink droplets deposited on the recording medium are dried, then the printed regions on the recording medium may rise up in a projecting fashion, and this may be undesirable depending on the use of the printed object. In view of these circumstances, several technologies have been proposed for absorbing a portion of the ink deposited on a recording medium.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-15981 discloses a surplus developer liquid removal device comprising a liquid absorbing body which removes surplus developer liquid deposited onto an image carrier body. This liquid absorbing body is constituted by a surface layer which is permeability to air and has a prescribed surface energy, and an elastic porous layer formed beneath the surface layer, in such a manner that the carrier liquid can be removed selectively from the surplus developer liquid.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-179959 discloses an ink absorbing body comprising: a liquid solvent absorbing body which absorbs the liquid solvent of ink; and a release member which has release characteristics with respect to the coloring agent in the ink, but which transmits the liquid solvent of the ink.
As described above, several devices for removing solvent component from an object liquid by absorbing it with an absorbing body have been proposed, but there has not yet been a proposal for a device which focuses on the anisotropy of the elastic modulus of the absorbing body. The elastic modulus of an absorbing body is a factor which affects the strength and direction of the impact force that occurs when the absorbing body is pressed against the object liquid. For example, if a strong impact force occurs when the absorbing body is placed in contact with the object liquid, then the coloring material component included in the object liquid may be deformed, and the contact surface area between the coloring material component and the absorbing body may become larger than necessary. If the contact surface area between the coloring material component and the absorbing body becomes large, then adherence of the coloring material component to the absorbing body may still occur even if the coloring material component having excellent releasability with respect to the solvent component is used. Furthermore, if the absorbing body is displaced in the horizontal direction when it is pressed against the object liquid, then the coloring material component may be trailed or rubbed away by the absorbing body.